Think of the individual who rejects what's mainstream simply because it's mainstream. That has always struck me as fairly inauthentic.

Agreed. That’s why I said getting the arrows backwards, trying to do “original” without starting from authentic, will fail. But I certainly know that “ugh” feeling when the thing you’ve wanted for a long time suddenly becomes popular and doesn’t feel like yours in the same way any more.

Interesting discussion but I’m wondering about the implications of linking antithesis too closely with “juxtaposition”—especially when it involves fashion.

Or, in other words, can we get overly fixated on the notion that juxtaposition (used in a fashion sense) requires the use of strong and clear opposing elements in an outfit? My hesitation to jump on that bandwagon is that maybe, once the surprise element evaporates, it’s exactly that kind of readily apparent opposition which gets boring quite quickly—ho-hum, another slip dress with combat boots kind of reaction—which is, perhaps, what Katerina is alluding to in her question?

I juxtaposed my outfits this week. I was flooded in on Wed - our yard was very muddy and splashy on Thur and Fri when I had to trek to the shed to my vehicle so I wore my boots to work. My grade two children loved the look . . . and spent all day standing on my toes to check out the steel caps <sigh>.
Best wishes to all.

Gaylene, I think your thoughts echo mine, juxtaposition does not require oppositional forces merely a contrast within two pieces next to each other. How these pieces are received by the viewer will very much depend on the cultural norm. For example the floaty dress and biker boots which are ubiquitous in a major city may cause dissonance and raise an eyebrow within a rural setting.

Therefore, juxtaposition may be used and still result in a harmonious whole or used to create a sense of tension.

I do believe it is much harder for a person to have a unique style in an age where street style can be consumed so readily over the internet. Fortunately, I don't seek to be unique, if I have chosen my outfit with consideration to comfort and environment a successful outfit is defined (for me) by how little I think of my look so that I can focus on the tasks at hand.

A little tangent, sparked by R&J’s comment: “ I do believe it is much harder for a person to have a unique style in an age where street style can be consumed so readily over the internet.”

I never think while I’m dressing that I want to look distinctly different from everyone else, nor that I want to blend in to the background. I just seek to look like myself, like how I feel.

I’m not sure I agree that it’s harder to have a “unique” style now. Sure, its much easier to find some example of any given outfit on the massive image dump that is the web these days, but we’ve also seen that the same outfit takes on different qualities when worn by different wearers. This is also a time when it seems so many more styles and approaches are “acceptable” than just copying the current trends.

I dunno, maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t see anyone else out in my world who dresses just like me, even though I don’t exactly stick out like a sore thumb in a crowd. That said, I agree that a lot of this has to do with cultural and geographical norms too — I would stand out more in a rural area for sure, and I blend into the background in a super fashion conscious place like NYC. Interesting to ponder this notion of individuality as a bit of a spectrum.

Apologies as I haven't been following the discussion that closely (will try to read more later), but there's an interesting tie-in with Helena's recent thread about dining room chairs, I think. Pairing a traditional table with modern or contemporary chairs is an example of juxtaposition in home decor. I live in an older home with original dark wood trim, plate rail etc. Many people with similar homes have gutted their main floors to be open concept with contemporary style but I knew I didn't want to go in that direction. However I was floundering a bit with furnishings. When we had to redo the electrical and the traditional style, somewhat yellowed white plastic switches all got replaced with a more contemporary and clean white style it was the breath of fresh air I hadn't realized I needed. It led me down a path of mixing and matching items from different eras and of contrasting fabrication. Although not an easy fix, more of an ongoing project, it's working for me.